No offence intended, but making statements about optical performance by looking at optics in a sporting goods store is not the correct method... See if you can talk them outside right at dusk... then evaluate them. That is not always possible, but is a much better judge of performance. NJS

Looking in dark shadows 75 yards away and looking into the desert during the day is the best way to test the extremes. I've been a high end glass user for 23 years. I own high end Leica photography equipment, Swarovski binos, spotting scope, rifle scopes, and Zeiss rifle scopes. For light gathering and no glare, I haven't seen anything that compares to the Swarovski. That does not mean there isn't any, I just haven't found it yet. I am not partial to any brand, I compare performance.
For color rendering, Leica is best. That is why bird watchers and photographers chose Leica.
Zeiss is very bright, but often too bright with glare.
Ideally, we would be able to borrow all three scopes to compare, but the retailers won't let us. So set them up in the store and start looking into the darkest corners in the ceiling, you will see differences in the scopes. My first Swarovski purchase in 1985 was a 1.5 to 6 x 42 w 30mm tube. The salesman and I went outside and I looked through the darkened doorways of other businesses to compare the light gathering of the scopes. I could see details on the walls in the shadows through Swarovski where the other scopes just showed black shadows. You don't need to take them out to the forest to compare.

I have an old Leica 77 Televid 20-60X bought used years ago for spotting 6mm holes at 600 yds. Couple months ago, I bought a Zeiss Diascope 85 20-60X. I honestly cannot tell a bit of difference between them. If conditions are ideal, bullet holes at that distance can be clearly observed. In poor conditions (mirage, glare, etc.) no scopes perform well. Another factor is condition of your eyes. Macular degeneration will reduce your ability to discern details at extreme distances.

If you are shooting distances beyond 500 yards, the real question is: Will my spotting scope define 6mm or larger bullet holes on paper under most conditions, i.e., hard mirage & bright sunlight? The answer cannot be determined by looking thru a scope in the store, nor by judging how bright the image seems to be. Only real conditions can provide the answer. Many high end scopes will not always pick up bullet holes at those distances. And much of the equation depends on the condition of your eyes. Now, spotters used for hunting are another matter, and the criteria for those is considerably less.

About us

My family and I welcome you. I started LRH back in 2001 to provide a friendly place where like-minded individuals could share information and ideas to help take their long range shooting and hunting to the next level.